Nightmare for Nightmare

by CodenameOne

Birthday Boy? More Like Birthday Poi

Author's Note:

Wow, congratulations! You've earned another chapter-poi!

"Yuudachi."

"Yuu-dah-chee."

"No tomoda."

"No toe-moe-dah."

"Chidesu."

"Chee-des-oo."

"Now say it all normally-poi."

"Yuudachi no tomodachidesu."

Nightmare Moon was suddenly the victim of a surprise hug as Yuudachi threw her arms around her, nearly(as always) crushing her with her surprise strength. "I know you are, Moony-chan!"

"What....." Nightmare Moon wheezed. "Did....I....say...."

"You said 'I am Yuudachi's friend'-poi. I, like, already knew that, so you didn't need to tell me!"

Nightmare Moon scowled, though it wasn't quite as menacing as she thought, given her cheeks were bulged out by Yuudachi squeezing her to death. "You...tricked...me."

Yuudachi released her and Nightmare nearly collapsed, desperately sucking in breath. When she regained her composure she looked up at Yuudachi, who was just smiling. "Well, yeah, but you, like, really are my friend-poi!"

Nightmare Moon brushed herself off. "Yes, well, saying it and believing it are quite different from each other. Does it even count as an admission if I make it in a language I don't speak?" she asked.

"Of course-poi!"

Nightmare Moon sighed and lied down on her special cushion, the dark blue one with her cutie mark on it. It was not the same as her SUPER special cushion, because that one had lace and tassels, but only Yuudachi was allowed to see that one. Yuudachi sat as well, on her own special cushion. Nightmare Moon hadn't wanted Yuudachi to know she'd commissioned the Royal Artist to make it, or that she'd thrown him in a dungeon when he had put Yuudachi's kanji in the wrong order(Dachiyuu? Seriously? Doesn't have nearly the same ring as Zekamashi), but when one only has one pony friend it's not hard to figure out who's getting them birthday gifts.

"Thank you again for the gift, Moony-chan! This cushion is, like, super cute!" Yuudachi said. Nightmare'd had to ask Yuudachi how to spell her name in kanji(and katakana. And hiragana... And romaji, though that was easiest), and then there was that mishap when the Royal Artist put the characters in the wrong order, but in the end Nightmare Moon had been satisfied with the end result. Especially since Yuudachi seemed to love it.

"You haven't even seen the other side, though" Nightmare said, and Yuudachi stood. She flipped the cushion, and stitch art of both her and her namesake were side-by-side at the bottom of the cushion, beneath 'Nightmare of the Solomons-poi' stitched in both Equestrian and Japanese. Nightmare swore to herself she saw stars in Yuudachi's eyes when she saw that side.

"It's, like, super cool-poi! I love it!" Yuudachi said. She set the cushion back down with the side that had her name on it facing up and sat back down. She beamed at Nightmare Moon, who scoffed and looked away.

"It was nothing. I didn't even make it. The artist is in the dungeon, so if there's anything wrong with it let me know and I'll send him to the moon" Nightmare said, and Yuudachi laughed.

"And I'll, like, blast him with my torpedoes before you do-poi."

Nightmare smiled and looked back at her eccentric human friend. "That would be a delight to see, I'm sure."

"Will there be, like, any cake? Yuudachi would love to have some cake-poi" Yuudachi said, and Nightmare rolled her eyes.

"It was only seven months ago you swore to me that you were gaining weight, and I had to assure you that no such thing was happening. Really, I have never once seen you gain or lose a single pound in the almost two years I have known you. So, if you would like some cake, then do not be alarmed, there will be some shortly, I just don't want to hear the word 'fat' at any point after you eat it" Nightmare said.

Yuudachi smiled again, and Nightmare let herself smile as well. "Thank you, Moony-chan, I'm like super glad you're my friend! It was kinda scary at first, being by myself in a new place, but you've, like, really helped me fit in-poi!"

"Is it really 'fitting in' when my little ponies are so afraid of you, both because you're by my side at all times, and because they know you as the Nightmare of the Solomons?" Nightmare asked with a grin, and Yuudachi nodded.

"Of course! They know that if they make me mad then, like, they'll have to face me and you!" Yuudachi said with a toothy grin of her own. "Getting sent to the moon has to be, like, SUUUUPER boring, especially if you were blasted there by a set of five 12.7-centimeter naval cannons!"

Nightmare laughed and slowly stood. She offered Yuudachi a hoof, which she took, and helped the other woman to her feet. "Come my pugnacious human friend. We will find your birthday cake, and if that is not satisfactory, then the Royal Baker shall join the Royal Artist in the dungeon!"

"That, like, sounds like a plan!" Yuudachi said. Together the two of them made their way down from Nightmare's private chambers, through the halls of her marvelous Midnight Castle, to the royal dining halls. They pushed open the doors to the dining hall, and the few ponies entrusted to keep it clean quickly scurried away.

"FIND the Royal Chef, Miss Yuudachi has NEED of her birthday cake!" Nightmare shouted, and just a few moments later the Royal Chef pushed out a cart with a large silver platter on it, covered by an equally silver lid of a modest height and length. He backed away, comically sweating, as Nightmare took hold of the lid and pulled it off to reveal Yuudachi's cake.

Nightmare Moon, for all of her sophistication and appreciation for grandeur, had to admit that this cake was just a little outrageous. She wasn't sure the Royal Chef would be able to pull it off, which was a shame, because if he hadn't, then replacing him would've been a challenge. Much to Nightmare's secret delight, however, he HAD pulled it off, and Nightmare Moon was a little impressed.

She turned to Yuudachi, and if she was impressed, then Yuudachi was absolutely amazed. The stars had returned to her eyes, and she simply stared at the cake. "I...can't believe it... Poi."

Nightmare smiled and turned her head. "Yes, well, it was nothing. I didn't even make it."

Adorning the silver platter, running nearly its entire length, was Yuudachi's namesake. And, according to Yuudachi's description(and reaction), it was 1000% accurate. Red, running along the underside of the hull, and a cool grey color above. Orange frosting took the place of her wooden decks, the masts rising above the bridge culminating in a black-and-white candle. Hard candies adorned the side of the hull, representing the portholes. Two lollipops took the place of the IJN Yuudachi's smokestacks, and her lifeboats were hoof-carved chocolates. Her name was proudly written in white frosting; Japanese on one side, Equestrian on the other. It really was a marvel of craftsmanship.

Nightmare turned back to Yuudachi, who had tears running out of her eyes. Nightmare's blood turned cold(well, colder), and she was about to turn the Royal Chef into a cake when Yuudachi turned to face her and smiled through her tears.

"M-moony-chan... It's so b-- be-- beautifuuuuhuhuhuuuullll!" Yuudachi sobbed, and wrapped Nightmare Moon in another hug. She fixed the Royal Chef with a chilling glare, and he nearly fell over himself scurrying away, before Nightmare Moon returned the hug. "I l-loooohohohooove you, Moony-chaaaan!"

If it were anyone else, Nightmare Moon would be disgusted. As it was, she was as happy as she could be. She let Yuudachi get it all out of her system, and after a few minutes Yuudachi pulled away. Nightmare offered her a handkerchief, which Yuudachi used to wipe her cheeks off and blow her nose(friend or not, there was no way Nightmare was taking that handkerchief back.)

"I'm quite glad you like your birthday cake. It's so marvelous that it seems almost criminal to eat it, but I'm guessing you don't have the same reservations?"

Yuudachi giggled and grinned, and she picked up one of the forks while Nightmare reached for one of the knives. The two of them turned their gaze to the destroyer cake, and licked their lips. "Nope. Poi."

Nightmare's grin turned toothy and sinister. "Me either."

Despite Nightmare Moon's earlier claim, Yuudachi did gain some weight that night.